Fischer owns three restaurants in Palo Alto — Reposado, Gravity and the Palo Alto Creamery, as well as the eatery Scratch in Mountain View. Although he didn’t say whether the British Bankers Club would be renamed or divulge the type of food that would be featured, he told commissioners, “I think the project for Menlo Park is going to be one of a kind on the Peninsula. … I’m excited about it.”

Commissioners shared Fischer’s enthusiasm, with several saying that reopening a restaurant in the historic building at 1090 El Camino Real could jump-start efforts to revitalize the city’s downtown area.

“Thank you for bringing this to Menlo Park. I think our nickname of ‘Menlo Dark’ is sometimes well deserved,” Commissioner Katie Ferrick said. “So I really appreciate that you’re willing to take a chance to turn the lights on around here.”

Though the previous owner billed the British Bankers Club as an upscale gastropub, Menlo Park police contacted the state Alcoholic Beverage Control following a series of notorious incidents there, including the arrest of two employees for sexually assaulting two women in the club’s upstairs balcony.

Senior Planner Thomas Rogers told commissioners that many of the problems stemmed from the entertainment offered, including live bands, DJ music and karaoke nights. No live entertainment is proposed for the new restaurant at this juncture, he said.

The restaurant would operate seven days a week until 2 a.m., according to city staff.

The two-story building’s main entrance will be switched from El Camino Real to Santa Cruz Avenue. In addition, a new rooftop deck will be constructed at the rear of the building and topped with a canopy, an exterior staircase will be added, and an inside elevator and stairs will take patrons to a new third-floor area. The restaurant still will offer ground-floor outdoor dining in the plaza adjacent to Cafe Barrone and Kepler’s Books.

“There’s a lot of potential for this to be a happening place,” said commission Chairman John Kadvany. “I think this is a great project.”

Gangs were likely involved in the string of arson attacks, police said, and they come amid mounting concerns in Sweden about gang-related violence. More than 40 people were shot and killed in the Nordic country last year, and the prime minister said in January that he was not ruling out a military response to gang activity.

A rooftop camera recorded the silver Ford Fiesta driving past Parliament and suddenly veering sharply to the left, striking cyclists waiting at a set of lights, then crossing the road and crashing into a barrier outside Parliament. Armed police surrounded the car within seconds, pulling a man from the vehicle. Police said the driver was alone and no weapons were...